Phonograph control device



SANDELL.

PHONOGRAPH CONTROL DEVICE. 3 APPLICATlON mm 050. a. 1919,

1,381,506; r Patentedlune 1921.

2 SHEETS- E M.

"mu A H.IK. SANDELL.

PHONOGRAPH CONTROL DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 050.3.1919.

1,38 1,506. Patented June 14, 1921.

. ZSHEETS-SHEET 2. 2021 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY K. SANDELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO HERBERT S. MILLS, OF

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

PHONOGRAPH CONTROL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY K. SAND'ELL, a citizen of the Jnited States, residing at Chicago in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Phonograph Control Devices, (Case A,) of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to devices for controlling the operation of phonographs, and more particularly to those whereby the rotation of the support for the sound record is started and stopped by the movement of the reproducer arm.

In accordance with the present invention, the rotation of the support for the sound record is controlled by the movement of the tone-arm or arm carrying the reproducer. Movement of this arm in one direction causes the sound record support to rotate when the arm approaches a predetermined position and the movement oi the arm in the opposite direction causes the rotation oi the sound record supportto cease. likewise when the arm approaches a predetermined position. The movement of the arm within the predetermined positions does not in any way effect the rotation of the sound record support, which consequently it in rotation, continues to rotate until the tone or reprcducer arm has reached the stopping position. and if at rest, remains at rest until the tone or reproducer-arm has reached the starting position. In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated in a specific embodiment, as applied to devices wherein the rotation of the sound record support is effected by means of an electrically driven motor. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the present invention, a portion or" the cabinet inclosing the same being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof partially in section;

Fig. 3 is a detail View, in vertical section, of the tone-arm support;

Fig. 4C is a detail elevation of the interior of the tone-arm support, viewed in the direction of the arrow 4 of Fig. 3, the sup.- port itself being sectioned;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the support containing the control mechanism;

Figs. 6 and 7 are separate details of construction;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 8-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit showing the position of the control device therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 10 indicates the cabinet upon which the phonograph is mounted, the numeral 11 indicating the top of this cabinet. Through a suitable opening in the top 11 a rotatable shaft 12 protrudes, upon which is rigidly mounted the record support shown as a felt covered disk 13. Upon this any suitable sound record of the disk type 14: may be placed.

A tone-arm 15, carrying the reproducer needle 1.6 and capable of limited oscillation both vertically and horizontally is mounted upon a suitable support 17 )reiterably bellshape, which is mounted upon the cabinet top 11 by means of suitable bolts 18 or other attaching means. The support 17 is so positioned with respect to the table 13 that the tone-arm may swing over the record in proper position for reproduction of the sounds recorded thereon.

The tone-arm may be mounted upon the bell-support 17 in suitable manner so that it may have a limited oscillation in both the vertical and horizontal direction. In the construction illustrated, the end of the tone-arm 15 is formed as a conduit section 19, which is rotatably mounted upon the conduit section 20 formed with a cylindrical socket for the head 21 of the conduit section 22. The conduit section 22 extends vertically downward through an opening provided in the bell-support 17 and is provided with a shoulder 23 which rests upon the slightly flattened top of the support 17. The socket 20 has a limited rotative movement with r spect to the head 21 of the conduit section 22, and the conduit section 22 may rotate on a vertical axis with respect to the bell-support 17 carrying with it the entire tone-arm.

The conduit section 22 fits into a Vertically disposed fitting or tube 2% which is fixed within the support by any suitable means, for example, by means of the horizontally projecting lugs 25, 25 which are attached, for example, by screws, to the projecting shoulders 27 formed integrally with bell-support 17. For attachment to the amplifier, the conduit section or tube 24: may be enlarged at its lower end 28, and formed with an internal enlarging taper, a shoulder 29 being provided at the point of enlargement. In order to limit the movement of the conduit section 22 within the tube 2st, a pin 30 having a projecting head 31 is attached to the conduit section 22 within the bell-support- 17, and an opening 32 of a limited arc is provided in the upper portion of the tube 24, through which the head 31 01 pin 30 passes. A vertical slot 33 may be provided from the opening 32 to the top of the tube 24c to permit the fitting together of the parts.

in the present embodiment of the invention as specifically illustrated in the drawings, the control of the rotation of the table is effected by opening and closing a switch in the circuit of an electric motor driving the table. The switch proper is mounted upon a semi-circular ring section 34 of suitable insulatingmaterial, such as fiber. This ring section 35% is suitably fixed in position, resting upon the two fastening lugs of the .center tube 2% by means, of the screws 26 which retain the latter in position. Upon this insulating section Set is mounted an an nular leaf or spring of conductive metal, such as copper, indicated by the numeral and which extends for the greater portion of the circuinterence of a circle and forms one contact member oil? a switch. One end 36 oi 'this conductive switch member is bentdownwardly and passes throughan opening in the insulating mount 34; tor attachment; of a conductive lead 37 from the motor circuit. At its other end the conductive member 35 extends beyond the end of the insulating member Set, describing in the specific form shown approximately a semicircle betore it terminates in a position just screw terminal and contact member 38 provided in the other end of the insulating member 34, and to which terminal the other lead 39 from the motor circuit is attached. This projecting portion of. the conductive member 35 is spring like in nature and is provided intermeoiate the projecting portion with a quite sharp zigzag bend, whereby one portion is raised above the other portion, for a purpose more fully hereinafter described. In its normal position, when no downward pressure is exerted upon the conductive member 35, it will spring awa from the terminal 38 and assume a position above the latter and out of contact with it. 7

In order to cause the conductive member 35 to make contact with the terminal 38 and to break contact at the determined position of the tone-arm, a suitable device involving a lost-motion is provided in such man nor that the movement of the tone-arm will be efiective in operating the switch only when the tone-arm is at the determined position. As embodied in the form of the in vent-ion illustrated, a slide 39 is mounted upon the conduit section 2% for movement relative thereto, for example, by means of the collar 40 embracing the tube section 24.- just above the shoulder 29 and the collar ll embracing the tube section at a higher point. This slide is provided with an opening or slot designated by the numeral 4-2, through which the projecting head 31. of the pin 30 passes. This slot s2 is of less angular width than the slot 32 formed in the upper end of the tube 2 The sides or the slot serve as limiting stops for the movement of the pin when the reproducer-arm is moved on its vertical axis, and this movement of the pin likewise causes a movement or the slide 39 when the head 31 of the pin 30 approaches one limiter the other of its movement. The total movement of the slide in any direction is slight, being substantiall measured by the difference in angular width between the slot on the slide and that formed in the tube 24. In Fig. l of the drawings the pin is illustrated as at one limit of its movement, that reached when the tone-arm is moved to the point A indicated on Fig. 1. It the tone-arm is now moved in the direction of the point B, the pin 30 moves without causing an 'v corresponding movement ot the sl de 39 until it approaches near the limit oi its movement. The head 31 of th pin willtnen engage the opposite side 0 slot 42 and carry the slide 39 with it until its limit oi? movement is reached. The return movement of the reproducenarm from the position B to the original position will produce a similar movement of tln l 39, which takes place only as the arm approaches its limit of movement in the oppbsite direction.

The slide 39 is provided with a projecting lug 43 of suitable insulating material, and preferably tapered at its lower edge, which lug contacts with the spring contact member 35 of the control switch. As previously described this contact member is provided with a zigzag bend 44 in such manner that a portion of this contact member is raised above the adjacent portion thereof.

and this bend is so positioned that when the slide 39'is at one limit of its movement the lug 43 rests on the higher portion of the contact member, this corresponding to the position A of the tone-arm;-and when the slide 39 is at the opposite limit of its movement, the lug 43 passes over the portion of the P, f the,

' ing tothe position of the tone-arm B. Themember 35 at a lower level, this correspondresiliency' of the member 35 tends to move it out of contact with the contact member 38, as a'result of which, when the lug 43 is positioned over the portion of the contact member 35 at thelower level, the latter rises and breaks contact with the member 38; and when the lug 43 moves over to the upper portion of the conduit member 35, the latter is forced down against the contact member 38 and the circuit is closed. By reason of the sharp incline between the two portions of the contact member 35, a relatively slight movement of the slide 39 in either direction causes the opening or closing of the circuit. When opened it is not closed until the tone arm approaches the limit of its movement in one direction (A) and when closed, it does not open until the tone-arm approaches its limit of movement (B) in the other direction. The circuit is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 9, where numeral 50 indicates a feed wire connected to the terminal 38; the other feed wire 51 is connected to one terminal of the drive motor 52, from the other terminal of which a conductor 53 extends to and connects with the end 36 of switch member 35.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof,-it is not intended that the details of said embodiment are to be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention, except in so far as included in the accompanying claims:

I claim:

1. In combination with a record support, a pivotally mounted reproducer arm cooperating therewith and means for rotating said support, a conduit section connected with the reproducer arm in axial alinement with its pivotal center and movable with said arm, a movable slide, engaging means mounted upon said conduit section and capable of engaging said slide only as the tone-arm approaches the limit of its movement in either direction, and means for starting and stopping the rotation of the support by the movement of said slide.

In combination with a record support, a pivotally mounted reproducer arm cooperating therewith and means for rotating said support, a conduit section connected with the reproducer arm in axial alinement with its pivotal center and movable with said reproducer arm, a movable slide embracing said conduit section, engaging means mounted upon said conduit section and capable of engaging said slide only as the tone-arm approaches the limits of its movement in either direction, and means for starting and stopping the rotation of the support by the movement of said slide.

In combination with a record support, a pivotally mounted reproducer arm coopcrating therewith and means for rotating said support, a conduit section connected with the reproducer arm in axial alinement with its pivotal center and. movable withsaid arm, a slide embracing said conduit section and provided with an opening, an engaging pin secured to said conduit section and entering the opening in said slide, whereby the slide is moved for a limited distance as the tone-arm approaches the limits of its movement in either direction, and means for starting and stopping the rotation of the support by the movement of said slide.

4. In combination with the movable reproducer arm of a phonograph, a control switch for the drive circuit of the phonograph, and means for operating the same,

said means comprising a movable member capable of engaging and releasing said switch to close and open the same, and means for operating said movable member only as the tone-arm approaches the limits of its movement.

5. In combination with the record support and the reproducer arm of a phonograph, a slide movable relatively thereto, an engaging member movable with the tone-arm and engaging the slide as the tone-arm approaches the limits of its movement to effect movement thereof, a circuit control-switch in cooperative relation to said slide whereby it is opened and closed by the movement of the latter and electrical means controlled by said switch for operating said record support. 6.'In a phonograph control-device, a conduit section movable with the tone-arm of the phonograph, a slide movable relatively thereto and provided with an opening, a pin carried by the conduit section and passing through the opening in the slide, whereby movement of the latter is effected when the conduit section approaches the limits of its movement, a lug carried by the slide, and a control-switch comprising a fixed contact member and a movable contact member normally out of contact therewith and capable of being engaged by the lug on the slide at one point in the movement of the latter to close the switch.

7. In a phonograph control-device, a conduit section movable with the tone-arm of the phonograph, a slide movable relative thereto, engaging means carried by the movable conduit section and capable of engaging said slide when the conduit section approaches the limits of its movement in either direction, a control-switch comprising a fixed contact member, and a movable contact member, the latter being normally out of contact with the former, and means whereby movement of the slide causes conable member mounted on the conduit section tact between the contact membersto be esand provided with an opening of less angu- 10 tablished or broken. 7 lar Width than that ofthe conduit section, 8. In a phonograph control device, a said pin likewise entering this opening, a 5 tubular conduit section, a tone-arm supportrotatable record support, means for rotating section movable Within said conduit secing the support, and means operated by the tion and provided with a pin projecting slide for starting and stopping said rotation. 15 through the opening in the former, a slid- HENRY K. SANDELL. 

